Rep. Perkins thankful for 'love and support'

Community rallies around legislator battling cancer

SEABROOK — Residents came together at the Raymond E. Walton American Legion hall Saturday night to give back to one individual who has dedicated years of her life to improving the community—state legislator, wife and mother Amy Perkins, who has been battling a brain tumor for nearly a year.

Comment

By Rachel Follender

seacoastonline.com

By Rachel Follender

Posted Sep. 17, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Rachel Follender

Posted Sep. 17, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

SEABROOK — Residents came together at the Raymond E. Walton American Legion hall Saturday night to give back to one individual who has dedicated years of her life to improving the community—state legislator, wife and mother Amy Perkins, who has been battling a brain tumor for nearly a year.

"If anyone ever had a problem in town, Amy and her husband Koko (state legislator and Seabrook Deputy Fire Chief Lawrence "Koko" Perkins) would be the first people they'd go to," said American Legion Auxiliary Member Peg Brown, who helped host the event Saturday. "She's a special person."

Family, friends and supporters of Amy came together to raise funds for the family's medical costs at the potluck-buffet style event that included music and other activities. Tickets were a $10 donation.

"We've all worked together," Brown said, explaining that the fund-raiser was a community effort. "Everyone's bringing food and donations. It's wonderful."

Last October, Amy was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in the form of a golf ball-sized glioblastoma multiforme, one of the more insidious and incurable types of brain tumors.

Multiple surgeries and treatments proved to be futile with the tumor re-growing each time. But Amy recently found hope in an unlikely form — polio.

A new trial at Duke University called the Friedman's Procedure utilizes an altered version of the poliovirus against the brain tumor. The patient is first vaccinated, and then the virus is used to try and combat the cancer.

"They won't say she's definitely a candidate but it's looking very good," Koko said as he sat by his wife's side Saturday night. "From what I understand there are people who have received the treatment and are responding positively."

One woman who received the treatment has been progressively improving for five years and has even returned to work.

"I actually want polio, imagine that!" Amy joked.

The Perkins said they hope to hear by early November whether Amy is approved for the treatment, and that they are optimistic — a silver lining to the storm cloud.

"We were so blind-sided," said Koko. "We were literally in the prime of our lives."

But for anyone who saw Amy and Koko together on Saturday, the couple still appeared to be in their prime. Amy fashionably sported a white dress with her hair up as she talked and laughed with friends and family members, something that Koko said was helpful in lifting her spirits.

"When you've got this many people behind you it makes you stronger," Amy said. "I still have a lot of work to do in the state House and with my family."

Those who came to the American Legion to support Amy were also in high spirits.

"She's a pillar of a woman who lived her whole life to help other people," said Terri Franklin, Amy's childhood best friend. "I think it helps people to see her and see that she's fighting."

"I feel like they're (Amy and Koko) members of two families, my firefighter family and my legislative family," said State Rep. Gary Coulombe (Berlin) of the Berlin Fire Department. Coulombe also recently started a collection for Amy and had raised over $200 by Saturday night.

The overwhelming demonstration of support Saturday will drive Amy to fight her diagnosis even harder, she said.

"They keep telling me to fight the fight and that's what I'm going to do," she said. "I'm so grateful for the love and support, it's what's getting me through this."

"This is so uplifting," Koko said. "I knew I loved her. I didn't realize how much everyone else did."